Room Acoustics Example

A living room is to be 5.0m x 7.0m with a 2.5m ceiling. The ceiling is to be acoustical plaster and the walls are to be gypsum wallboard except for two open doorways which are 1.0 x 2.25m. Disregard effects due to the furniture and occupants. The flooring material is under discussion.

1. What would be the reverberation times at 125Hz, 500Hz, and 2000Hz with the floor made of vinyl tile on concrete?
2. Of carpet on concrete?
3. Which floor material would you suggest if the room were to be used for conversation? For live chamber music?
4. Will this room be bright or warm?
5. Do you expect there will be a problem with smoothness? Intimacy?
6. What changes would you make this room to be suitable for listening to recorded music?

c) Either material will be good for conversation and neither will help chamber music because the volume is too small.

d) In both cases the room will be warmer, but it will be more warm with the carpet.

e) Because of the small volume and dimensions, the room should be smooth and intimate.

f) Short reverberation times are best for playing back recorded music because the sound editor has already introduced the reverberation that is desired by the artists.